TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas Senate committee has approved Gov. Sam Brownback’s nomination of his chief counsel for an open seat on the state Court of Appeals.

The Judiciary Committee’s voice vote sends the nomination of Caleb Stegall to the full Senate. The chamber is expected to debate and vote on the appointment Wednesday.

Republicans dominate the Senate, so the GOP governor’s nomination wasn’t likely to meet much opposition.

That didn’t quiet complaints from Democrats.

Stegall faced questions about comments in 2005 in an online magazine he edited that encouraged “forcible resistance” to court orders in order to save the life of a brain-damaged Florida woman.

Stegall said during a Judiciary Committee hearing that the comments in The New Pantagruel about the Terri Schiavo case were an endorsement of civil disobedience.

Sen. Laura Kelly, D-Topeka, said she had reservations about Stegall’s appointment.

“If you look at Stegall’s history and writings, I get the sense he is ideologically motivated,” Kelly said. “I’m not sure how he will put all that aside.”

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley says Stegall isn’t qualified to serve on the state’s second-highest court if one or more district court judges also applied for the seat. Stegall has not been a judge. Brownback did not release the names of any other nominees for the post.